dec — Decrease (Abbreviation)
dec stands for "decrease" — the general, craft-neutral term for reducing stitch count, covering a range of specific techniques rather than naming one exact method the way k2tog or ssk each do individually.
Why the specific technique behind "dec" varies
A bare "dec 1 st" doesn't specify which direction the resulting stitch should lean, or which exact stitches merge into it — for shaping where lean direction matters (paired decreases flanking a raglan seam, for instance), patterns are almost always explicit, naming k2tog or ssk directly rather than leaving it to unqualified "dec." Where lean genuinely doesn't matter (an isolated decrease with no visual pairing), a pattern might use "dec" more loosely, trusting the knitter to pick any reasonable method.
In crochet specifically
Crochet's dec typically means working two or more stitches together into one, similar in principle to knitting's k2tog, though the exact mechanics differ by stitch height — see invisible decrease for the specific modified version amigurumi commonly uses instead of a standard crochet decrease.
Single versus double decreases
"Dec" can describe either a single decrease (two stitches to one, like k2tog or ssk) or a double decrease (three stitches to one, like sk2p or CDD) — the stated stitch counts before and after the decrease clarify which is meant, since the word "dec" alone doesn't distinguish between the two scales.
Related abbreviations
- inc — increase, dec's direct counterpart
- k2tog / ssk — the two most common specific knit decreases dec might refer to
- sk2p / cdd — double-decrease techniques reducing three stitches to one rather than two
FAQ
Does every decrease reduce stitch count by exactly one? A single decrease does; a double decrease (like sk2p or CDD) reduces by two at once — always check the pattern's stated stitch counts before and after a decrease instruction to confirm which scale is intended.
Is there a universal "correct" decrease to use whenever a pattern just says "dec" with no further detail? No — without more context, a right-leaning k2tog is a reasonable, commonly used default, but check whether the specific spot in the pattern implies a particular lean (matching a nearby decrease elsewhere) before assuming any decrease will do equally well.